Back to Jobs
MS

Child Care Teacher at Merryhill School

Merryhill School El Macero, CA

Job Description

Spring Education Group's Early Childhood Education Division includes nearly 150 schools offering services from infant care through Pre-K/K programs, as well as summer camp and after-school programs . Our locations span a nationwide geographic footprint and a diverse array of pedagogical approaches - including our proprietary Links to Learning curriculum that draws from the collective expertise of renowned early-age educators such as Dewey, Piaget and Vygotsky; Montessori schools that embrace both accredited Montessori methods - AMI (Association Montessori Internationale ) and AMS (American Montessori Society); and progressive language immersion programs in Mandarin and Spanish.

Merryhill Preschool is seeking an energetic and nurturing Toddler Teacher to join our growing early childhood education team! Our toddler program is designed to spark curiosity, build confidence, and support every child's development through discovery and play.

As a Toddler Teacher , you'll create a safe and engaging classroom where children can explore the world around them while building independence and essential early learning skills.

What You'll Do

  • Design and implement interactive, age-appropriate activities that promote cognitive, social, and emotional growth.
  • Foster a warm and consistent classroom routine that helps toddlers feel secure and confident.
  • Build positive partnerships with families through open, ongoing communication.
  • Work collaboratively with co-teachers and school leaders to ensure an exceptional learning experience.

Qualifications

  • Must be at least 18 years old and have one of the following:
    • Completed 12 Core ECE Units in Early Childhood Education, including 3 Infant/Toddler units.
    • an awarded CDA in Infant Toddler.
  • 6 months of teaching experience in a licensed preschool or early childhood center.
  • Prior experience in a licensed childcare center.
  • A nurturing personality with patience, flexibility, and a genuine love for working with babies.
  • Authorization to work in the United States

Why Join Merryhill Preschool

  • Competitive pay and benefits package.
  • Opportunities for professional growth and leadership development.
  • Supportive team culture built on collaboration and respect.
  • A chance to make a lasting difference in the lives of children and families.

If you're ready to bring joy, energy, and inspiration to the toddler classroom- and to help us continue developing the best schools and educators in America- apply today!

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. In general, this position requires an individual to frequently walk, stand, sit, squat, stoop, reach, kneel, rise from the floor, twist, listen, read, write, and speak the English language. In addition, this position often requires an individual to carry, lift, use repetitive or fine hand movements, and occasionally push, pull, or bend. This position is regularly required to hear and use clear vision with or without correction. Spring Education Group, including, but not limited to SEG Inc., and their affiliates (collectively "Company") is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants for employment and employees are provided equal employment opportunities, including in recruitment, hiring, and assignment, without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion and religious creed, sex (including pregnancy and related conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital or familial status, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, military/veteran status, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. The Company expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee or student harassment or discrimination.

Typical mid-level pay: $32k for Childcare Workers nationally

National salary averages
Expected mid-level
$32k
Entry
Mid
Senior
Expected
$23k Market range (10th-90th percentile) $45k

Hot hiring, constrained wages

Employers are hiring actively, but pay hasn't caught up with demand. Focus on competing offers and non-salary benefits.

Hiring leverage
Candidate-favored
Wage leverage âš  Disconnect
Constrained
Mobility
High mobility
Durability
High fragility

Why this market feels harder than it looks

This market is hiring aggressively, but compensation hasn't caught up, most openings are backfilling churn, not expansion and many compete as freelancers. Employers are filling roles, but not bidding wages up.

Who this leverage applies to

Stronger for: Senior candidates with options, Remote-capable workers
Weaker for: Entry-level candidates, Career switchers

Where to negotiate

Base salary
Sign-on bonus
Title / level
Remote flexibility
Scope & responsibility
Start date / PTO

Likely Possible Unlikely

Watch out for

Wage disconnect: Hiring is active but pay hasn't responded—negotiate on other terms.
21% self-employed: Traditional full-time roles may be scarcer.

Don't let hiring headlines mislead you—focus on concrete offers. Your leverage may be less durable than it appears—move decisively.

Does this path compound?

Job Growth →
High churn
Growth, flat pay
🚀 Compound
Growth + pay upside
⚠️ Plateau
Limited growth
Specialize
Experts earn more
Pay Upside →
Stable but flat

Steady work, but limited growth in both jobs and pay.

-3%
10yr growth
Most openings come from retirements and turnover, not new positions.
21% work independently—freelance or consulting is viable.
160,200 openings projected annually—mostly replacing retirees and turnover.
Typical: High school diploma or equivalent

Consider building adjacent skills to stay marketable.

Labor data: BLS 2024